COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has protested the cremation of his daughter-in-law, Maureen Achieng’ Nyadida-Lukoye, saying he only accepted the decision after her father, Samwel Nyadida, agreed to honor her final wish.
Speaking during Maureen’s funeral service at All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi on Thursday, September 17, 2026, Atwoli affirmed that the experience had not changed his opposition to cremation.
In addition, Atwoli vowed that no other member of his family would be cremated as long as he was alive.
According to Atwoli, Maureen had expressed her wish to be cremated in her will.
However, the decision was difficult for him to accept, citing that cremation was not part of his family’s traditional burial practices.
He explained that he eventually allowed the wish to be honored after Nyadida, Maureen’s biological father, raised no objection to the cremation.
“I was also unable to understand the cremation wish. I had to come to terms with the wish much later, after the biological father of my daughter-in-law stated that if that was Maureen’s last wish, she should undergo the process,” Francis Atwoli explained on the decision to cremate Maureen.
The remarks came after Maureen’s death on September 7, 2026, following a prolonged battle with cancer.
She was the wife of Atwoli’s eldest son, Prof Lukoye Atwoli, and a mother of four sons.
Also Read: Prof. Atwoli’s Late Wife to be Cremated
Atwoli’s Opposition to Cremation
Atwoli’s position on cremation was rooted in his family’s traditions, noting that no one in his lineage had previously been cremated.
He explained he was particularly troubled when he learned that preparations for the cremation were already underway, recalling seeing firewood being prepared for the process.
In earlier remarks following Maureen’s death, Atwoli said his son had informed him that she had left instructions in her will requesting cremation.
Following the son’s declaration of the final rites, Atwoli questioned where the idea had come from but acknowledged that the family had to respect her documented wishes.
Despite having objections to the daughter–in–law’s final rites, Atwoli accepted the decision but publicly rejected the view that cremation should be regarded as a modern practice.
Further, he argued that Africans should continue observing their traditional ways of handling the dead.
“I want to assure them that no member of my family, when I am still living, because I will be around for 130 years, will be cremated. The lawyer that will come with that will find the father of goons and will not come near. I am a public leader, and it will go in accordance with our culture and traditions,” Francis stated.
Maureen’s Final Wish
Maureen died on September 7 after battling cancer. Her husband, Prof Lukoye Atwoli, announced her death in an emotional tribute following her passing.
The late Maureen had worked at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), where she joined in 2007 as a compliance officer.
For her education, she had studied Biological Sciences at Egerton University and later pursued postgraduate studies, including counseling psychology and strategic management.
According to Lukoye, Maureen had left instructions that she wanted her remains cremated after her death.
The decision was subsequently incorporated into the family’s funeral arrangements, with a church service held at All Saints’ Cathedral on September 17 before her remains were cremated.
A subsequent celebration of her life was scheduled to take place in Mulwanda, Khwisero, Kakamega County.
Lukoye also spoke about conversations he had with his wife concerning her wishes after her diagnosis, stating that Maureen had been concerned about seeing their children grow up and become established.
During her final days, Lukoye and their four sons were able to spend time with her after she developed breathing complications.
Before she rested, Lukoye and his sons used the opportunity to thank her, express their love, and reassure her about the future.
Also Read: Who is Maureen Lukoye? Career and Life of Prof Atwoli’s Late Wife
Francis Atwoli Clarifies Family Decision
Francis Atwoli also addressed public speculation that Maureen was cremated because his family lacked a place to bury the daughter-in-law.
According to Francis Atwoli, his son has built a family home in Khwisero.
“For those speculating that the professor does not have a house at home and that is the reason he cremated his wife, you are wrong. The professor had a permanent house, ‘isimba ’, and after university he built a modern home in Mulwanda,” Francis Atwoli clarified.
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